wilson



C. W. WILSON.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PHOTOGHAPHIC PRINTS.

APPLICATION mm JUNE 2|.19n.

1,353,690. PatentedSept. 21, 0.

2 SHEETS SHE ,ZFzuezator:

C ales MIN/21.9022,

C. W. WILSON. PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC P RINTS.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 21.1911. 1,353,690, PamnwdSept. 21, 1920.

2 shins-sun 2.

C/zafles W M/Iilson .m wwm in. w :2: Tozalllwlmmitmay uNrrEo s rATssr TENT OFFICE.

cHnnLnsjw. WILSON, or roan, rnnnsnyams.

135m I -i1'- comem: I Bait known that. I, Qrnmnns W. WnsoN, a. citizen mt the United }S tates, and. resident of York, Pennsylvania, have invented oer;- tainznew and usefulImprovementsinProc essesland. Apparatus for; Making 'Photographiei Prints, :QiUWhiChi the following; is a specification.- h-uifqm; 1; i i 13 rt-he. object of my ginvention ItObPI'O. vide. apparatus; for modifying the chara cteristics of photographicnegatiyesin print- =ing =thenefrom,,so that, theprinting effect can bev 'retarded or ,advanced at. any, desired portions of,the negative-ion the purpose of bringing. out the details as', is..well understood; hy .thoseskilled in. the art, it being neeessary in thiS;, COB 1ection, to tone-down certain. parts of the .negatiye for the best pn fi ngiefie :I Q pe rins t m inv ntio t e se .is ,left untouched the modifying material i .being appliedto a member arranged ,over

amiss. o th e ativ e 'w i im y be i p e y fur: I I 'i Theginventionconsists in the features and combination.andJarrangement of parts and irrzthe steps of the, method as will be hereinafter described, and. particularly pointed utir ithe l ms i v Figure 1 is a sectionalyiew of a printing frame used in carrying out my improved method with theretouching or toning-down element associated=therewitlL ..Fig. 2 is a rear view of the printing frame. v

' Fig. 3 iso longitudinal section of the apparatus. l y

Fig. 4 is a perspectiveview, of the apparatus, p

,, Iigs 5;and 6 are detail .views relating to i i. ii, I; In thes e drawings. 1 ,indicates, the main part of, printing frame which may be of substantially ordinary form in..so. far as it eonsistspf arectangular open frame momber. This member on its rear sidel is provided with upstanding marginal flanges ,2 extending along each of its lateral sides, providing a tray-like receptacleior receiving the back of the frame, which includes n head portion 3 and side strips 4, hinged or pivotally connected thereto and .a central swing-hack .member 5, 5', also hinged and pivotally connected with the head portion 3. The side strips i as well as the swing-back raoelis's APPARATUS FOR MA ximay be secured-,tothe main by back member, including the head 3, is moy; 1

ably or removably connected withv the ,main part of the frame loin any suitable 1,, In the drawing. it is shown as removably lleldby clamps 7 pressed by springs 7 the clamps working in brackets on;the.1;nain jrame. llhese clamps can, be released by grasping the buttons. 'Z and .iifting ;them and they maybe held released byturning them so that the pins 7f will rest on top of .the brarkets out of line with the slots 7 in which the pins work. T Thewhole baok'foi the frame .may; be removed. .These back members 3 ;'and 4 overl e the rear faoepfi the strips composing the. nrain, frame. so to l r Patented Sept. 2 1 1920. :Appllbhtlonfiled June 21, 1917. Serial No. 176,212. l,

clamp the negatlve in.,-plaee and the swingout raising the section 5, asilluStrated in Fig. 4, a leaf spring 5? being secnred to the cross piece 3 and having its front end engaging a loop 45* on the section 5, this spring liftingboth sections 5, .5" when they are free.

The section 5 may be held down to clamp the film or negative by the clips 5* While the section 5' is free to be lifted. When the catch 6 of section 5 is en aging the lug on the main part of the rame both seotions 5, 5 will be securely held. H y

trips a are arranged alongside of the swing-back and between .the same and the strips 4, and strips a may be locked either to the swing-back section ,5 to move there with as one body or they, may be loeke d the strips 4;. For this purposelockin'g clips d are provided piyoted at "to ,the stripsa and adapted to engage-notchesaz, yin the parts 5 and 4 respectively to'lock the strips along the portion to be printed and for holdin the film at the front end of the framefl provide a spring clamping member f extending-into the opening 6 and clamping the film against the wall of said openn k y i p fi o permit the film to be inserted crosswise lateral openings ors'lots are provided in the sides of the main frame at g.

In cariing out my process of retouching or modifying'the characteristics of the negative I employ a plate 10 or a sheet of material as tissue paperor tracing linen may be used. The plate may consist of glasshaving a ground surface 10 on one face-or a sheet of celluloid or fibroid may be employed, likewise having one *facchaving the chan arteris t'ics ofa ground glass surface, and adapted to ireceive markings or material which will act-to restrain the passage of light at the points where said material is applied. This ground glass plate or sheet having a surface answering the purpose of a ground glass surface is placed in the printing frame with its ground surface directed outwardlyJ This is so placed and is of such dimensions that it will be held by the head and side' strips o'f'the back of the printing frame but Ibefore clamping these parts in place the negative'or film A is next placed in 'pos'ition'u on the inner face of the tonemodifying I) ate or sheet, the negative having its film 'face directed inwardly or toward the back of the'pri-nting frame. The head and side strips of the back are then clamped in position to securely hold the negative and the toning-down or modifying sheet in fixed relation to each other or in other Words to prevent any movement of these parts relative to each other By holding the frame to the light with its back section 5,5 in open position and with the ground glass face toward him the retouc'her can determine what parts of the negative require to be modified in order to get the best printing results and he then applies'the tonin -down or modifying material to the groun glass or similar face as his artistic sense may dietate. This toning-down material may be of various kinds, for instance burnt umber powder, yellow ocher, powdered crayon or russian red or any other suitable powder may be employed or the artist may use lead pencil of an desired degree of hardness or crayon may used. In fact any powdered material. may be employed which will have a retarding effect on the passage of .the light. The artist ma apply the powder by rubbing 'it on byhis nger or by a stump or pad of any suitable nature. y reason of the fact "that'the outer face of the modifying plate or sheet is ofa ground glass nature the powder or pencil or whatever material may be used in dry formwill adhere to the surface without requiring paste or a mixsuch as an ordinary rubber eraser may be finger of the operator may be used. Jef itis desired tumake any portions of the negative receive more light than others an oily or greasy substance may beappliedby the artist by rubbing it on with his finger or with a stump or camel hair brush, such for instance Vaseline, lyeerinpbutter or" lard.

The application 0 material of a greasy characteruvill make the portions of the ground glass modifier more transparent at the points where it is applied and this may be used atone point while'the powdered restraining-or toningdown material may be used :at another point.

After having applied the wn'ingdown material to the modifying plate preheat the operator mafyjp'lace tliesensitized paper on the negative and then clamp down thecentral member or swing-back 5 to hold the paper in proper position, it being understood that during-the time the Eltlst is retouching or in other words applying'tne 'toningflowd or I modifying material to the modifying sheet or plate the backhasbeen of light through the negative and modifying plate so that the artist could propel ly apply the toning-down or modifying material.

After having clamped the sensitized paper in placethe printing is *done in the ordinary way by exposing the paper with its superimposed film or plate forming the negative to the light, it being'unders'tood that the modifying plate with the toning'down material applied thereto remains in place and 'thus modifying the passage of light to the negative and thence'to the sensitized paper.

1; will be observed" that the negative and modifying plate are in direct contact but their surfaces are directed oppositely, that is to say the ground glass surface is directed outwardly in respect to the front of the frame, whereas the film surface of thenegative is directed toward the rear, thus lying in proper position to receive the sensitive pa er directly in contact therewith.

twill beobserved that I employ the same frame for holding the negative and sensitized paper and also the modifying plate or sheet andthat this frame is of a special form due to the necessity of holding the negative in a definite position in relation to the modifying plate or other member 10, it being possible to open the back for the placing of the sensitized paper while insurmg the maintenance of t e registry of the ne ative and the modifying member.

t will be observed that it is of special advantage to employ powdered material of the characters described as no proportioning and mixing of materials by the artist is necessary and their character being fixed he does not have to make a mixture of any sort and consequently thecare in selecting and proportioning, as well. as. mixing ingredients, is entirely avoided and no special tools are required, either in applying the powder. or in removing it. The modifying plate or sheet of course may be repeatedly used, the special frame holding this and the film or negative while the back is opened for the insertion -of the paper. By placing the modifying member direct y in contact with the negative a proper transmission of the light may be Secured for the best efi'ect, the diffusion of light being kept down to the proper degree by using a plate or sheet of suitable thickness and by emplo ing these parts in contact. Diflgrent degrees of sharpness in th printing may be obtained by using modifying plates of different thicknesses and of course by applying. themodifying material in different degrees of thickness of the layer.

\ The modifying plate or member if in the form of glass or like rigid or inflexible material will serve as the front to holdin place the ne ative should this be in film form,

thus this modifying plate performs the twofold function of modifying the passage of .lightand also as-a holder for the film when this is used.- i i It will be understood that the printing frame described is essential because it is necessary to hold the negative in a fixed relation-to the modifying member while permitting the removal and insertion of the sensitized sheets to be printed upon, and this is true whether the negative be in plate form or in the. form of a film, or whether this film. bedisposed transversely of the frame or longitudinally thereof. The clamping member 7 will hold the film in position while the back of the frame is opened or is manipulated to put in successive paper sheets for printin and if the film is run crosswise the side strips 4 will hold the film while the swing-back is manipulated for placing or removing the sheets to be printed, and it will be observed'that a plurality of strips may be threaded across the frame, as indicated in Fig. 4. The supplemental strips on enable the operator to make different sizes of prints while the negative or film is held in fixed registry with the modifying memher because these strips a may be attached to the swing-back to move therewith and thus enlarge the space for receiving the printing paper or by attaching these strips to the side strips 4, the space to receivethe printing paper isreduced. Furthermore, the sections 5 of the swing-back may be swung up independently of the section 5 while the printing paper is held by the lat- ;does not remain absolutel ter so that the printing paper may be turned up and inspected to SllOW the progress of the printin or exposing action.

Further I show at Z, .ig. 2, clips attached to the underside of the side strips .4 to hold films which are cut from the strip and are too small to reach from one clamping strip to the other. These clips will enable the operator to carry on the work because the negative or film will be held in fixed relation to the modifying sheet or member at all times and the operator by opening the back can touch up upon the modifying member and any number of prints can be made without danger of disturbing the modifying member and negative relative to each other. This is most essential because if the registry between modifying member and negative fixed while the printing is being done an thepaper is being inserted and removed, the: retouching would have to be done over again for each exposure. 1

In other words, whileIemploy a modify- ?ing sheet or member as an element separate from the negative, these two partsare malntained in fixed registry and practically as one memberwhile the operator is permitted to make any number of prints and prints of various sizes, and the negative may bein the form of a late or a roll film, or a cut film. At 5", Fig. 2, I show a clip for holding the two members of the swing back so that they will move as one. 1

The catches 6 and 6*,it will be noticed, are of different forms in respect to each other, the one shown at fi h'aving a finger piece overhanging the central memberb' so that by pressing on this finger piece the catch will be. released, this action resulting from the outward movement of the lower engaging end of the catch due to the catch as a whole acting as a lever fulorumed at an intermediate point of its length. The catches 6 are arranged with outwardly extending finger pieces and in order to release these catches the central portion of the catch member is pressed downwardly while at the same time, the finger piece is pressed upwardly. This action can be performed by the thumb and finger of one hand, the finger pressing'upon the main middle portion of the catch'membenwhile the thumb exerts a lifting force underneath therfinger piece. Thesedifferences between the catches 6 and 6 will enable the catches 6 to hold the sections of the back in proper position with the film properly clamped when the frame is reversed to do the retouching on the ground glass surface because pressure on the finger pieces of the catches 6 due to the frame resting on its back will nothave any tendency to release these catches, but on the contrary, will tend to force them more securely into their holding relation.

retaining wall or layer In using .the frame for retouching, it-is customary to set it up, using the central portion ofthe hinged back as a prop and the clamps which hold the sides of the swinging back serve as supporting feet for the rame when thus set up. The foam of theseside clamps or catches is such that the weight of the frame or theforce applied to the frame in retouching the modifying member does not affect the holding quality of these clamps because pressure upon their extreme ends, exerted toward the front of the frame, will not release them. Ifthese side catches were of the same form as the center catch, they could not serve as supporting feet. I

WhatI claim is: i i

1; In apparatus for printing from photographic negatives, the combination of -a rame'having a front portion and a movable back and a-modifying member within the frame, backed by and resting againstthe film and havin its exposed surface adapted to" reeeive-a n hold modifying :material, said member togetherwith the ne ethic and the paper to be printed being he dfby and between said front and back portions of the 'frameand said member serving as the outer at the front 'of the frame, substantially as describe 2. In apparatus for printingfrom photographic ne tives, a frame having a front portion an a back in sections, a member held in said frame, together with and in fixed relation to the ne ative by a part of the sectional back and fiavin a surface to receive material modifying the passage of the light to the negative and another section of said back holding the sensitized piper to be rinted on, said latter section in movab e in relation to the section whic holds the modifying member and negative, whereby an opening for the passage of light will be maintained for touching up the modifying plate after which the sensitized paper may be clamped in place, substantially as described.

3. The apparatus herein described for makin photographic prints comprising a main frame portion to receive a negative or film and a tone modifying member and a swing-back composed o a plurality of strips and a central hinged member with means for attaching certain of the strips to the swing-back member or to other strip members to increase or decrease the size of the space adapted to receive the printing pa er while the negative and modifying m'em er are held relatively fixed, substantially as described. 1 4. Apparatus for making photographic prints, comprising a main frame portion with a modifying-sheet or' plate, a back member having portions to hold a film extending either-cross wise or lengthwise of .main portion the frame and in fixed. registry with the modifying member, said back having a hinge or swinging portion or portions which may be openedto receivethe printing paper while the film is clamped in fixed registry with the modifying sheet or plate, substantially as described.

5. A printing apparatus comprising a modifyingme'mber, a frame having -a back with si e strips to hold the. negative and modifying member and a swinging portion between them with strips intermediate the side strips andv theacentral portion and hinged to the mainpart of the back with means for securing the intermediate strips either to the central swinging portion or the side strips to increase: or decrease the size of the pnntingspacewithout disturbing the-fixed relation'of the. negative and the modifying member, substantially as described. 1",; i

r 6. In a printing frame, a main mem'beha back, a modifyingsmemberheld between ,the 'back'and-the .inainmember of; the frame,

.said main membe'nliavingan openmgto receive afilm and a clamp foriholdingthe film in said .op .nin; ;,said filmbeing also held between the main portion of the back and the of the frame and saidback having a swinging portion; to permitxthe placing or removal of printing paper while the film and modifyingimember are held in fixed registry, substantially as described. 5

7. The hereindescribed apparatusconsisting of a modifying member, a frame holding the same infixed relation to the negative and consisting of a main frame portion and a backportion, said back portion having a part or parts which hold the modifying member and the negative in fixed re istry whether the negative be a plate, a film strip or a cut film, said back having a movable portion to clamp or permit the removal of the paper while the negative and modifying member are maintained in said fixed relation, substantially as described.

8. In apparatus for printing from photographic negatives, a frame having a front portion and a movable back, and a modifying member removably mounted within the frame and consistin of a rigid plate having its exposed sur ace adapted to receive and hold modifying material, said member together with the negative and the paper to be printed being held by and between said front and back portion of the frame, and said member forming the front retaining wall of said frame to hold the film and sensitized paper in place, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a photographic printing frame, a main frame portion, a back member formed in movable sections including a center section and two side sections, and a head portion to which said sections are hinged, a catch for each of the side sections for holding it at its free end to the front of the frame, each of said catches being releasable by pressure exerted thereon in a direction rearwardly from the back of the frame, said catches, therefore, being adapted to act as supporti feet for the frame when set up for me 'fying, and a catch for the center section, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a photographic printing frame, a main frame portion, a back member formed in movable sections including a center section and two side sections, and a head portion to which said sections are hinged, a catch for each of the side sections for holding it at its free end to the front of the frame, each of said catches being releasable by pressure exerted thereon in a direction rearwardly from the back of the frame, said catches, therefore, being adapted to act as supporting feet for the frame when set up for modifying, and a catch for the center section, said last mentioned catch comprising a resilient member having a catch end and a finger piece having a fulcrum portion to bear on the resilient member and release the catch end when the finger piece is ressed in a direction toward the front of t e frame.

11. In combination in a photographic printing frame, a main frame portion, a plurality of hinged back sections, a catch for the central section adapted to be released by pressing down thereon, and catches for the adjacent side sections adapted to act as supporting feet for the frame when set up, and releasable by raising their outer ends, sub stantially as described.

12. In combination in a photographic printing frame, a main frame portion, a back formed in sections including a central and side sections, catches for holding the side sections, comprising spring members having a main portion, a downwardly extending engaging portion, and a finger piece extending forward of the engaging portion, said catch being adapted to be released by pressing down upon its main portion, and lifting upon its finger piece said side catches serving as supporting feet for the frame, and a catch for the center section, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHAS. W. WILSON. 

